The informal European Council meeting in Versailles tomorrow has the moral duty to take two bold and politically imperative decisions (Report, March 4). First, the council needs to declare that Ukraine is a “candidate country” for full membership of the EU. This is the proper answer to the application filed by president Volodymyr Zelensky, a statesman who with his brave people is fighting for European values.
Second, it needs to launch the process for devising a semi-accession regime to bring Moldova, Georgia, the west Balkans countries and Turkey (provided it fulfils essential democratic conditions) much closer to the EU.
These decisions would be an important contribution on the part of the EU to the stability and peace in Europe.
Panayiotis C Ioakimidis
Professor Emeritus, University of Athens Athens, Greece
Letter: Europe’s leaders have two tasks at Versailles meeting
Pinoy Variant